Modi rebukes Rabri's claim on Central assistance to Bihar

Published: Sunday, March 30, 2008, 20:33 [IST]

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Patna, Mar 30 (UNI) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today refuted the claim of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi that the UPA government was extending all sorts of help to Bihar government for carrying out various welfare and development schemes in the State.

In a release issued here, Mr Modi said the role of the RJD was pivotal in survival of the UPA government at the Centre and despite the fact, it had failed to influence the Centre in granting special assistance to compensate the damage caused in the State due to devastating floods in 2007.

''The Central team had assessed the damage caused due to floods in Bihar to the tune of Rs 2156 crore, but even after the lapse of six months, not a single penny had been released by the Centre as yet'', he pointed out.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had led an all party delegation to meet several Union Ministers in New Delhi to demand from the Centre for increasing the Kerosene oil quota for Bihar but that too failed to yield any result, Mr Modi added.

Mr Modi took strong exception to the statement of Ms Rabri Devi that Bihar's share of Central grant and Central taxes had been increased and noted that it was done as per the recommendation of the 12th Finance Commission.

The increase in Bihar's share of Central grant was a constituional obligation of the Centre and none had the right to take credit for that, he maintanied.